Hidden Depths
by DeathOnWings1203
Summary: Each person has their own reason to take up arms against a mutual enemy, but what is the real reason behind Team RWBY's drives? Take a look into each of the girl's reasons to fight. Haven't you ever wondered if Ruby's dream is as pure as it seems? Currently a One-Shot, but that may change in the future.


**Hello people of the RWBY Fandom! My name is DeathOnWings1203, but please refer to me as Noche. It's a nickname from a good friend of mine. I have to confess something: This will not be the first time that I've written for RWBY. No, on my other Fic I have a multitude of RWBY chapters that usually focus on Ruby and Weiss. Although this will be the first purely Canon Universe RWBY Fic.**

 ***CoughGoWhiteRoseCough***

 **I even did something that involves this premise, but I thought I could try to go more in-depth in the Canon universe. The Basic thing is: How could someone like Ruby be so good at what she does, yet still be so naive and innocent? Here is my reasoning. Hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY in any form or way.**

What is it that drives a person to take up arms against a threat? Is it a sense of nobility that compels some to protect those who don't? Could it be a overwhelming sense of fear of the oncoming threat that forces them to try and survive? Maybe it is rage that burns with the intensity of white hot flames that urges that person to strike in the name of vengeance. Every person who picks up their weapon has their own reason to fight, and there is no exception to this rule. There is no swipe of a blade that has no chain of events leading up to that swipe.

The ladies of Team RWBY each have their own motivation for their enrollment. Acts of selfless defending of others hide their true desires. The noble woman garbed only in white and light blues believes she fights to set her family name back on the right path. The path of honor and respectability that her own father has knocked her family off of. The mysterious lady that cloaks herself in black learns and grows in order to bring some equality in her unfair world. She hopes to shape the world into one that all are equal. The shining lady that burns with the intensity of yellow merely seeks adventure and excitement while she travels the world helping others. An ideal life of constant thrill is what she drives for.

Finally, the young girl who scatters red roses in her wake wants to be a hero in this time of darkness. She wishes to be the main character of her own fairy tale with the forces of Grimm as her foe. Such an innocent view of the world. A view that only sees the white and the black. Each one of these young women came together in their team with their dreams and goals in mind; however, as their trust in each other grew some hidden details were forced out in realizations or self-admittances. The knowledge gained from these events have rocked each one to the core.

The young Heiress that was forced to always be 'perfect' was confronted with the truth of her friend. The event revealed how much her father's view was imparted to her as she was growing up. Unfair accusations, unjust words, and unneeded complications came from the young lady, and the consequences was her trusted companion fleeing from her. For the next twelve hours she searched high and low for her evasive ally while her thoughts stewed on what had occurred. In the end, she made a good step towards becoming a better person by deeming her friend's past actions unimportant. Yet, unknown to others this sparked a self-analyzation within the lady of white, and what she realized conflicted the image she had for herself. Maybe she came to Beacon for a different reason.

Yes, she wanted to fix the damage her father had done to their family name, but maybe there was another reason. At an early age the expectations for her was already extremely high- too high for a mere child. Perfection was the motto of her family and there would be no weak leak in the family chain. She was tutored in a multitude of subjects that ranged from proper edicate to ballroom dancing. Any mistake would be ruthlessly punished with harsh strikes to her young body, and it would always be in areas that cannot be seen by the public eye. To show punishment would show imperfections. That would not be abided by. Each unseen punishment was done by her own father until he grew tired of her faults. From then on it would be from the tutors that had specific instructions on how to.

Every flaw was beat out of her until the young lady could give a mask that would make her family content. Her initial escape was the soft melodies that she wove in the sanctuary of her room. She would spend hours just entertaining herself with songs that she had heard in passing, or some that she made herself. Her only comfort would be ripped from her when a maid heard her sing her own personal creation from the outside of the room. Once told of his daughter singing the words _mirror, mirror_ beautifully the head of child's family ordered that she would be given personal lessons. If his daughter's talent of singing could be 'perfected' then he could use it to his advantage. More stress was put on her as these vocal lessons took the joy of singing away causing her only escape to become a part of her hell.

After looking back upon her own childhood, the noble lady in white realized that her time in Beacon was not only for honor. It was for escape. She longed for the freedom to do whatever she wanted to do as well as the consequences to her actions. She wanted her own chance to be some _one_ instead of some _thing_ to her family. She would prove that she is not an asset to be used, but rather a living being that should be respected. Above all though, she wanted to make something of her own life. Rumors had come to light that her father had started to plan something akin to an arranged marriage to strengthen the Company as well as her family's image. The young lady doesn't want her entire life to be chosen for her, so she hopes to find a way to carve her own path from her experiences in Beacon.

From the same experience that gave realization to the one in white, it gave clarity to the woman in black. In her youth she found herself under constant prejudice simply because she had something that they did not. Her simple cat ears that made her stand out also made her a target. She lived in constant fear and struggle for her own life. Forced to do what no child should ever have to, she fought and stole for any ounce of food she could get her hands on. No home ever accepted her, no person ever held out a hand to pick her up when she was down. These constant trials made her stronger physically, but broke her down emotionally. How could she trust anyone? Then her savior came in the form of a Faunus rights group called the White Fang.

They took her in and fed her. The group provided clothing, food, clean water, and protection. It also provided a chance to actually make an emotional connection with people. Whether by chance or an act of fate her first connection would be a boy named Adam Taurus. The name proved to be somewhat fitting since he turned out to be a Bull Faunus. The two of them quickly bonded by telling tales of their lives. Adam had it even worse than Blake did due to his confrontational nature. He tried to fight back instead of taking it or fleeing, and this only encouraged those who oppressed them to strike harder onto the boy. The experiences toughened up the boy. Despite being a peaceful organization, that toughness proved to be useful as he stood at the front lines.

Adam would try to take the brunt of the punishment that their rallies had. Their words would try to be stamped out by police brutality, riot hoses, and Faunus Racists. That didn't matter to the young boy as he stood firm against the blows, but his retaliations did matter for they went against everything the White Fang stood for. So, the child in black stood by her companion and kept him in check from striking out. They formed a bit of a partnership through this: He would shield and she would keep him from disrupting what little progress they've made. Rally after rally they did this while their bond grew stronger with each event, but something changed. After a particularly bad rally, where many of her people were beaten nearly to death, murmurs of discontent rippled throughout the White Fang. They spoke of retaliation for the crimes against the Faunus. A thirst for blood was building and it would not be quelled easily.

By the next morning, the one in black would be shocked to see her companion covered in blood as he claimed to have taken control of the organization. Her body went numb as she saw him rally those who had wanted peace in a murderous frenzy, but what shocked her most of all is the fact that she had joined in their cry for vengeance. Their first strike happened in the guise of another peace rally. They all gathered where the head of the Schnee Company was making a speech with some of his family. Each one was dressed in a bright white attire that the Schnees were known for. The main group interrupted the Ceo and created a large distraction in the form of discontent Faunus workers. While everyone was focused on them Adam had taken it upon himself to try and assassinate the Schnee's head; however, the entire plan went awry when the man's eldest daughter happened to notice Adam.

From their the entire rally went into a free-for-all of destruction. The experience is still a blur of motion with flashes of red here and there. In the end, their main target had gotten away, yet their bloody entrance still had gotten the attention of everyone. People finally acknowledged the White Fang, but they did for the claws covered in crimson. Years would pass with more and more blood being spilt, and during that time the protective boy that she had known would turn into a ruthless man. She herself had changed into a vicious killer alongside him. The difference is that she still felt her conscious berate her when she was forced to end an innocent person. He didn't seem to have that anymore. Perhaps that is why she chose to leave when she did. The final nail in the coffin was when he showed his cruelty on that train.

The uncaring way he spoke about the crew members who was only there to make a living made her realize how far from their roots the White Fang had strayed. Peace was no longer apart of the equation, now only vengeance remained. Their want for equality transformed into the need for equal pain to be inflicted, and it was affecting more than just the organization. That deadly need was threatening to transforms her ideals into something similar. It was a frightening realization that warranted a sudden exit from the group that had helped her. So, she ran away. She took to hiding her own identity to protect herself from two threats: the humans around her and the faunus that she once helped. Suddenly alienated from both sides, the lady in black wandered for a while until her feet took her to Beacon. On little more than an desperate attempt for security and survival she tried her hand at enrolling.

After several trials and a multitude of questions, she was surprised to see that the Headmaster had personally admitted her into his school. Thus, her time at Beacon started; however, she still held her former organization in high regard despite what has been done. She held onto a small glimmer of hope that the White Fang could be lead back onto the proper path. It was irrational on her part, but it was better than accepting that her old companion was beyond helping. In the end it didn't matter as that hope was mercilessly crushed when she saw the criminal, Roman Torchwick, ordering her people around at the Docks. If Adam had truly teamed up with this scum of a criminal for something than what hope really does remain for the White Fang?

Still, she refused the sight as she recklessly put herself in harm's way for answers. The confirmation from Torchwick felt like a knife into her heart. There really was no hope left for her former friends. After the fight, her thoughts swirled around in her mind as it ruthlessly tore her more idealistic image of the White Fang apart. Would she become the same if she tried to bring equality to the world? Would she become what others had labeled her people? Would she become an animalistic killer bent on revenge? The questions brought up another part of herself that she had not realized before then. She wanted to run. Run far away from this entire mess and try again.

The urge to flee was subdued by the sight of her teammates before being quenched by, oddly enough, the very person who caused her to run in the first place. Still, it made her realize how much she had been running away from her problems throughout her life. She had always ran from conflict as a child before being caught and beaten. She never struck back unless she knew she could get away with it. The lady in black found herself wondering if everything that had happened so far had occurred because she always ran. Could she have stopped Adam from aiding Roman if she had stayed in the White Fang? Could she have stopped him from killing the former leader if she had just calmed him down instead of leaving him to his own devices? Maybe she could have even prevented this entire fiasco by just talking to her companion in white.

A feeling of shame had started to grow since that day for her cowardly actions. It has continued to grow since, and despite promising to talk to her partners about anything plaquing her she keeps it in. One day, she may be able to conquer this need to run. Until then she will keep it in.

For the lady who shines like the sun, she never needed a realization. She is fully aware of what hidden desire drives her. A desperation to find the mother that she never truly had fuels much of what she does in her spare time. She is always searching for anything that could work as a clue, and even when she is busy with something else the burning question in the back of her mind plaques her. Why? Why did her mother just up and leave her family? What on earth would be so important that she would just abandon those she was suppose to care about? In order to hide these thoughts from those around her, the woman in yellow puts on her own carefully crafted act. Bubbly, outgoing, and friendly is what she always tries to be. After all, she has people that depends on her, and she is not going to be her mother. She won't run from her responsibilities.

Despite this, she still spends countless hours hunting down rumors of anything that could be remotely related to her goal. Each failed try only fuels her burning drive to search harder. Every allusive glimpse of her target plaques her. It could have controlled her every waking moment, but a single past experience prevents that. A distant memory of a cart, an abandoned structure, and a family member in danger because of her own foolishness steadies her. She would take care of herself so she isn't a burden to the others, and even if she was mere moments from catching up to her goal she would refuse to abandon those who count on her. There were times that the desire for answers did override that memory's warning though. One such time occurred after a very long day of false leads. She was at the end of her rope for that day, but -despite a voice in the back of her head warning her that she should try tomorrow- she went into that club anyways.

What resulted was an all out brawl as she let loose her frustration upon wave after wave of goons. She hide it behind a bright smile that suggested that she enjoyed the fight, but on the inside she was roaring in anger. When confronted by two fighters that could actually hold their own instead of being knocked out in one strike she felt her mind go blank as she brutally beat them down. Not even getting a moment to collect herself, the owner of the club had broke her weakening restraint by tearing out some of her hair. Her precious blonde locks that was one of the few connections that she had of her deserting mother. Fully enraged, her eyes turned into a dark red before delivering one full powered blow to the side of the face.

She wasn't ready to stop the beat down as she jumped out the window to follow her enemy. Luckily for the owner of the Club, her little sister was somehow there. The sight of her little sister caused the image of the abandoned structure to flash through her mind. The reminder helped her regain her senses before controlling herself. The incident also reminded the bright girl of an even more hidden reason to go on the path she is traveling. There's quite a few people who wonder why any damage to her hair causes the normally cheerful woman to go into a rampage. The reason stems from the same reason she is becoming a Huntress: her mother. One of the few features that remotely resembles her mother is the long flowing hair that she has. True, her mother doesn't share the color, but it is said that she enjoyed letting her hair grow long.

So, in a desperate attempt to have some connection with her mother the woman in yellow grew her hair out. It is the only visual sign of her inner turmoil as it shows that despite the fact her mother abandoning her family for whatever reason, she still longs for her mother. In what way she does is unknown even to herself. Maybe she wants the love that people continually tell her that mothers give. Perhaps she just wants her mother to accept her despite never being that to deny her in the first place. Most likely, she just wants a mother figure in her life. A person to trust without any sliver of doubt. A person that would always be in her corner no matter what while still setting her straight when she needs it. A person who can comfort and shield her in the deepest depths of despair.

She just wants the mother that should have been there. So, she'll play the part of a bubbly blonde for now. She'll keep her teammates and sister safe, but when she finally does get her hands on her mother who knows if she will rage or cry.

White, Blake, and Yellow. Each lady of that color has had an experience or event reveal the true reason they came to Beacon. They all have their hidden experiences that has shaped who they are, but what about the girl in crimson? What event or realization has she had? Oddly enough, she hasn't had one yet, but the dark truth still lies underneath her seemingly pure drive. She does not acknowledge it, but it is the driving force for everything she has done.

The one in red has always been kind and cheerfully. She is naive and innocent while wielding a massive instrument of destruction and chaos. Her skills surpass what a person like her should have by such a margin that she is accepted two years early into Beacon. What has driven this girl to train as hard as she has? Is it truly just the want to help people? It would be a wonderful world if a being with that much pure intention existed, but that being doesn't exist. The truth is hidden in the past.

It began with a young girl who was wearing a red hood that was much too large for her. It was stitched together by her loving mother. Said mother was away for a mission at the time, but she would be home soon enough. Until then the young child would be content to play with her older sister and father; however, a ring stopped all merriment in the household. Someone had called her father so he had to go answer it. That was fine. She could just play with her sister more, and so she did. Their fun ceased when they both saw their father return in a much paler state than he had left. The sight was curious to the young child, so she decided to ask what was wrong. The moment she was told what was wrong, her life was sent on a collision path towards Beacon.

Her mother wouldn't be coming home. Despite demanding to know why she would just not come home, she wouldn't get a real answer until a few years later. When she was deemed old enough to fully understand what had happened her older sister simply told her that their mom was dead. One would expect something akin to shock, anger, sadness, or denial to course through the young girl, yet none of those things did. Instead, she felt a chilling calm go through her as she stood in front of her sister with her red hood around her shoulders. Little did either of them know that the anger and sadness she was suppose to feel got suppressed and was hidden away. The older sister had no idea of what this interaction would bring later as she told her sister that she was proud that she had accepted this calmly.

Years will pass since that conversation. The young girl will grow into a young lady while the hood she wears stops dragging against the ground. The lady in crimson would grow up while chasing a dream to become like her deceased mother. She would start training with numerous different weapons, yet she would not find the one that would suit her. A sword didn't feel right in her hands. A warhammer was simply not her style. Pistols never fire the bullets far enough. Rockets are far too uncontrollable for her liking. With each weapon that didn't work for her the emotions over her mother that she had been suppressing over the years were stroked into a small flame. That flame would grow larger and larger as frustration became a regular thing for the young lady. However, that would all change the day she decided to pick up her Uncle's scythe.

The rarely sober Hunter had been teasing his niece about that fact she may have to fight with her bare hands instead of with a weapon. The girl's frustration had boiled over at that point as she took her the weapon on her Uncle's back before showing a surprising amount of control as she spinned it into the ground. Once she had realized what she had done the hooded girl had started sputtering out rapid fire apologies, but the Hunter ignored it as he examined how natural it looked that the girl wielded the scythe. By the next time he visited he had gotten her a basic scythe while proclaiming that he would train her. This started a change to the flame of negative emotions. Instead of growing larger and larger until it would explode from her, the flame turned darker as the girl's uncle trained her rigorously.

Like the young lady herself, it was honed down and changed into something else. As she became a prodigy with a scythe it became an ingrained part of her without her ever realizing it. From then on, whenever she would swing her scythe through a training dummy she would feel a sense of exhilaration that came from that dark part of her mind. She may have mistaken it for happiness due to hitting her target, but it was because she split that target in half. The same thing happened when realized her skill with a sniper rifle. Shooting a target into the chest felt mildly good, yet blowing off it's skull? It felt so fantastic to the girl. Unknown to anyone, she was slowly becoming more and more excited when she brutally ends her targets. She was becoming bloodthirsting without ever realizing it.

This deadly thirst would only reveal itself in mere instances such as the smile on her face when she slices a Beowolf's head off. The sheer focus she shows only when she is hunting down enemies would show the extent of how dependent she had gotten on this ill-gotten rush. By the time she had gotten to Beacon it had gotten so bad that she suicidally rushed towards a Deathstalker in the hopes of slashing it to pieces. She knew that it's bone-like hide would be too much for her to easily slash through, but she still did it anyways. She wanted to see that Grimm in pieces before it disappeared. The girl in crimson was fortunate enough that the lady in white saved her from certain death. The threat of irrationally acting is still there though as her need for shredding enemies builds.

She may not know of the issue she had gotten from her early years, but should she ever experience something that forces her to realize the truth, it would shatter her view of the world. Her innocence would cease to be. The full force of her past actions would come crashing down on her. She could question her entire life. Depression is very much a possibility, but that is not the worse possibility. If the worst should come, then in the wake of her shattered view she would accept her dark desire in the bloodiest of ways. In this uncheck embrace she may go on a rampage of destruction to feed her desire as much as she can.

If that would happen, then may whatever god the world of Remnant has have mercy upon them. The crimson reaper would be loose, but until the realization happens the girl in crimson will remain a possible time-bomb of death. She will help others, and perhaps when the time comes they will help her in turn. Only time will tell.

 **Wow... that was way longer than I expected. I thought I would do a brief look into each girl's possible true reasonings before going really in depth with Ruby. It didn't go that way. I will admit that I suspected that Weiss would be longer than most due to the fact I like her the most in RWBY, but I didn't expect Blake's to go that way.**

 **My mind writes what it wants I guess. Anyways, I would love it if you guys would tell me what you think. Either by reviewing or Pming me, it doesn't matter.**

 **Also, if you want to I have a fic that has plenty of WhiteRose in it. It's the longest story on my account, so it's not hard to find, but again that's up to you to read it if you want. After all, I can't force you to do anything. I might be halfway across the country for all you know!**

 **Anyways, I have to go for now so See ya later! Bye!**

 **~DeathOnWings1203~**


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